So I mentioned here and there that I got sucked back into the warm, enveloping and slightly cheetos flavored fold that is World of Warcraft thanks to my asshole co-workers. I haven't played in a loooooooong time. Like holy shit a long time. It took a couple days working with the Blizzard team to even recover my old account. (To their credit, getting ahold of the Blizz customer service team remains the challenge, once you do they're fantastic). First my server info (PM me for Real ID friending stuffs) and chars, then some commentary.
Primary Server Dalaran (PVE)
Lvl 80 Human Daladin - Morganebane
Lvl 58 Death Knight - Shalduin
Lvl 27 Worgen Warlock - Manegarm
Lvl 23 Pandaren Monk - Huatomoe
Theoretically I have some toons on Azjol-Nerub.... but you may as well consider them dead.
On to the commentary!
Graphics: Generally improved, the vids have always been good, but the new ones for Mists of Pandaria are a step up even from that! The next set of graphics upgrades look like they're going to be gorgeous, here's hoping it doesn't take it out of my accessibility graphics card wise.
Game Play, Balance and Leveling: I have always been pretty good at power leveling. I know how to make an hour or two in game count when it comes to grinding the ever loving hell out of an area. However in the maybe two weeks I've been playing, I've started two new toons (the Worgen and the Pandabear if you can't guess) and got them both to the mid 20s. (I also did the DK up to 58 but that's barely getting him out of the starting zone so it doesn't count). Leveling seems to have gotten massively easier, at least at the lower levels. I did note, like Yahtzee mentioned in his review below, that a lot of the "piss taking quests" have been pulled from the game for a slightly more... dynamic? and less grindy, soul crushing feel, but there's still plenty of fetch quest action. There's also a fuckload of cultural references and puns they've (Blizzard) put in... apparently in an attempt to sound like a meme? The CSI and Rambo themes fucking DOMINATE Westfall and Redridge now. I'm just starting Duskwood on my Panda and considering that's one of my favorite zones from classic WoW, so I'm hoping they didn't bugger it up with a "Thriller" (the song not the genre) theme or something. The Kalimdor leveling zones have changed a lot, with Dark Shore taking a fuck load of damage during the Cataclysm. The Ashenvale took it's share of pain, but is still generally one of my favorite places for in game ecotourism.
Game play Balance seems to be much improved, the mechanics for the new classes since I last played are pretty solid, I am very much enjoying the Monk class. Not having to go back to your trainer for your new spells every level is nice too. (I leveled five times in an afternoon on the Monk at one point, adding a trek in to Stormwind to get my new kung fu beat down skillz would add a lot of time and aggravation I'm more then happy to see go away)
Community, Social, Social Mechanics: Well, Goldshire's still a hive of scum and villainy in desperate need of smacktard fumigation, but then some things never change. Plenty of idiots abound, but lots of nice people too. Kinda a reflection of the internet and humanity at large innit? The new dungeon finder is tits, and the random dungeon finder with it's shiny cash, loot and XP bonus is very cool, though I'd really like it to stop giving me Gnomer. I hated that dungeon before and I still hate it now.
I do have a bone to pick with the new guild functions and guild bonuses. It's kinda... I dunno I don't like it for some reason. It's cool you get perks for joining up with a crew but it feels more... cynical then it used to, recruiting and joining is about gain, rather then finding a group of cool people you like and hanging out with them. Maybe it was never like that and I was doing it wrong, but it's an addition I could stand to see go the way of the dinosaur.
Over all some very positive changes since I last visited Azeroth, we'll see how long this jaunt lasts.
